Isaiah 7:16Meaning & Commentary from the Church Fathers

The One who bore the sins of many was, in Himself, utterly without sin. As noted, Paul continuously affirms this truth. Because Christ's death was necessary to prevent any doubter from assuming He suffered for His own transgressions, the apostle persistently highlights His sinlessness to indicate that His death serves as an atonement for our sins. Hence, he proclaims, "Christ, having risen from the dead, dies no more ... for what He died, He died once for sin" (Rom. 6:9, 10). This death, he asserts, He endured not as a transgressor, nor for any personal sin, but for the collective sin of all. Had He not previously faced death due to His own wrongdoing, it is evident that He would not experience death again. "That land which you dread shall be forsaken by both its kings." Here the prophet often transitions from prophecy to historical reality. He employs this approach in the account of the seraphim, as we have clearly demonstrated, and similarly here. After discussing the blessings destined for creation, he now turns his focus toward the king. Therefore, he states, "the earth ... shall be forsaken." What does it mean for it to be "forsaken"? It shall be peaceful, it shall remain untouched, it shall know no distress, and shall not suffer the ravages of conflict. "That land which you fear shall be forsaken," regarding which you fear and tremble, "by both her kings," referring to Damascus and Israel.

The Divine nature, existing not in our realm but in its own exalted essence, remains untouched by evil and consistently repudiates all forms of vice, being neither tempted nor confused, and inherently disobeying evil. This concept parallels the idea that light cannot willingly become darkness, as it cannot help but be light. Thus, the unchanging nature of the Divine in its goodness is articulated by the prophet, who states that He will cast away the wicked and choose the good. This truth also applies to Christ Himself. Though He was born of the Virgin Mary in the flesh, being God by His very nature and revealed through the Word, He existed before the womb and prior to all ages, holy as God, not losing any of His divine attributes through the incarnation but also embracing humanity to demonstrate that He became truly like us, thereby sanctifying our very birth. The land that Ahaz feared shall be deserted because of the two kings. It is as if one were to say directly that when the virgin who conceived gives birth, and you, O house of David, name Him Immanuel, then all who trouble the holy land shall abandon it; it will no longer be vulnerable to those who wish to plunder it. This also carries a deeper spiritual meaning. For upon Immanuel's birth, the truly holy land and city, identified as the Church, began to embody hope and triumphed over all adversaries, who, recognizing its invincibility, retreated, leaving it as a divinely protected place, for the Lord declares, I will be a wall of fire around her, and I will be the glory in her midst.

Referring back to the Book of Genesis regarding the knowledge of good and evil, one can perceive a parallel in Adam's state prior to the fall, for Adam was not acquainted with evil in a personal sense. Thus, the Lord in His infancy mirrored the innocent and untainted nature of Adam, and by rejecting sin, He fulfilled the demands of the law.

Unlike all of us who often fall prey to worldly pride and vanity, He remained untouched by such folly. He humbled Himself in obedience, even unto death (Phlp. 2:8). He stands apart from each of us who foolishly elevate ourselves through worldly reasoning, and there exists none free from sin, not even an infant just born; yet He remained sinless. Within us, the nature of Cain emerges first, filled with self-exaltation, followed by Abel, who embodies an innate reverence for the divine. This reveals that the negative influences come upon us initially, while the knowledge of goodness follows. Where goodness exists, righteousness is also present, and where righteousness abides, there is holiness — that is Abel, who walks with God.

It is inappropriate to discuss free will and decision-making regarding the Lord in the same way we do for humans. True free will implies considering options after thorough investigation and contemplation of the unknown, leading to personal judgment where one selects one choice over another. However, the Lord, being God and fully aware of everything, did not require contemplation or inquiry, as His nature was naturally drawn to righteousness and repelled by wrongdoing. The prophet Isaiah articulates this fact: “Before he knoweth to be a child, he shall choose the good: for before he knoweth to be a child, whether good or evil, he shall put away the evil, and choose the good” (Isaiah 7:15-16). The use of "before" emphasizes that He was not influenced by reflection as we are, for as God made flesh, hypostatically united with humanity, He possessed the essence of goodness innately through His divine omniscience. Virtues are inherent and universally available to all, though not everyone acts in accordance with their true nature. Through sin, humanity has deviated from its natural state, but the Lord has restored us from this deviation back to what is natural.

If He did not recognize human will, then He would not embody the perfect Man. If He remained unaware of the human will, He would not have been able to heal the first sin that afflicts us. “For that which is not perceived is not healed,” as Gregory the Theologian has stated. The will is what has fallen; it is the will that sins. Thus, the fallen and sinful nature is in greater need of healing. If it is claimed that He did not recognize sin, then He also did not perceive the sinful and broken nature of humankind, which is responsible for sin. If He did not acknowledge the human will, how could it be said that before discerning good and evil, He chooses the good over the bad (Isaiah 7:16)? It is not the Divine will that chooses, rejects, or obeys. Rather, in His human will, He willingly rejects evil and embraces good, aligning Himself with the will of the Father—an act of free choice. Unlike us, He does not deliberate or weigh opposing virtues and vices, but rather, is aware only of the goodness that reflects the will of God, thereby fulfilling Adam's obligations. Thus, it is expressed that “Before he understandeth evil and good,” for the incarnate Word neither knew nor contemplated evil due to the hypostatic union. His thoughts were not divided or uncertain; being one Christ, both God and Man, He exercised His human attributes, retaining all that is naturally inherent in humanity, to fulfill the will of His Father and God.

The context of this discussion points to a biblical prophecy concerning Emmanuel, which emphasizes the imminent judgment on the kingdoms of Israel and Syria during the time of Ahaz and the house of David. Although they feared the threat posed by these two kingdoms, their concern was misplaced, as the real danger loomed from the Assyrian king. The land they feared was destined for desolation, which indeed came to pass, with the Assyrian king, Tiglath-Pileser, capturing Damascus, expelling its people, and eliminating King Rezin, as well as taking control over northern Israel, displacing its inhabitants to Assyria. This prophecy suggests that a brief period will pass from Emmanuel’s birth to the moment he possesses the ability to discern right from wrong, aligning perfectly with the foretold devastation of the neighboring states.